Lesson 8

February 12 - 18

Assurance and
Christ's High-Priestly Ministry

MEMORY TEXT:
"Therefore He is also able to save
to the uttermost those who ho come to God through Him, since He ever
lives
to make intercession for them"
(Hebrews
7:25, NKJV).

KEY THOUGHT:
The book of Hebrews gives assurance that faith in the risen and
interceding
Lord brings salvation as a present reality.

Sabbath
Afternoon February 12

EXHORTATIONS TO TASTE THE
POWERS OF THE AGE TO
COME. As a pastoral letter, Hebrews shows how
Messianic Jews can
learn from the mistakes of their forefathers who heard the gospel but
did
not believe it. He urges them to persevere in their faith in Christ
until
the end in order to enter the promised inheritance. Christian faith
brings
even more privileges and responsibilities to cherish such a great
salvation.
A rejection of the gospel is an apostasy from the living God, who has
revealed
Himself through Jesus. In Christ we are tasting now the powers of the
age
to come. For our study this week, we will refer to William G.
Johnsson's
book, Hebrews: Full Assurance for Christians Today
(Boise, Idaho:
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1994).

We believe that Paul was the author of this important Epistle
even though
it is anonymous. Ellen White accepts the position that the apostle Paul
himself
was the author (see The Great Controversy,
pp. 347, 411-413, 415,
420, 512).
It is beyond question that this book is indeed inspired by the Holy
Spirit.
May it speak to our hearts this week as we focus on the assurance we
have
in Jesus our High Priest.

Sunday
February 13

How does Hebrews connect its theological statements with its
practical
applications?
Heb.
2:1;
3:1;
10:19.

The transition from theological discussion to practical
application becomes
evident in the use of the word therefore. This is
also typical in
Paul's other writings (see
Rom.
5:1;
6:12;
8:1).
It indicates that the Christian life is based on and motivated by God's
acts
in Jesus Christ. The apostolic exhortations are not just good advice,
but
the necessary fruits of the believer's faith in Christ.

Jesus is the dominant figure throughout the book of
Hebrews (see
Heb.
1:2, 5;
4:14;
5:5;
8:1;
10:19-22).
The book presents several portraits of Him. Describe these portraits in:

"So in Jesus Christians have full assurance. They have access
to the heavenly
Most Holy Place and a conscience cleansed of sin."—Johnsson, p. 22.

What does it mean that Jesus "by the grace of God"
has tasted death "for
everyone"?
Heb.
2:9, 10;
10:12.

Paul sees Jesus' death not merely as that of a great martyr
but as that of
the Son of God, whose death was the critical moment of God's gracious
act
of reconciling humankind to Himself. "He tasted death—not just physical
death, but the horror of separation from God, which the Bible calls
'the
second death'
(Rev.
20:6)."—Johnsson, Hebrews, p. 69. In this
God-appointed way
Christ became "the author of our
salvation"(Heb
2:10).

Contemplate the assuring
promise in Hebrews
2:14, 15. Have you by faith in Jesus overcome the
fear of death? But what about the fear of
dying the trauma, the pain, the temporary
separation from loved ones?

Monday
February 14

Jesus alone is qualified as our High Priest before God. By
experiencing human
frailties, temptations, and pain He became qualified to be our
Mediator.
Hebrews
4:14-16 is one of the most comforting passages in the New
Testament.
It assures us that our faith is effective because it connects us with
the
living person of Christ. We do have a powerful and merciful High Priest
in
heaven. That is the main point of Hebrews (see
8:1).
The risen Christ is the guarantor of all His promises
(7:22).
William Johnsson comments: "At the heart of our religion stands a Man,
and
His name is Jesus—a Man, but much more, for He is God's Son!"—p.
103.

Christ's aim is not to punish sinners, but to save them by
drawing them to
Himself through His sacrifice for them (see
John
12:32). He can sympathize with human weaknesses, because He
"has been
tempted in every way, just as we are yet without sin"
(4:15).
In Christ every believer has received access to
the throne of God.
"Because we have such a high priest, the doors of heaven's temple swing
open
wide to welcome us. The command center of the universe no longer holds
fear
and uncertainty for us—we belong there. We come
confidently (King
James Version: 'boldly') into the divine presence."—Johnsson, p. 105.

Discuss the significance of the total salvation
Christ gives us through
His continuous intercession.
Heb.
7:25.

The Lord offers us both His forgiving and His keeping grace.
He knows we
need more than mere amnesty. We need the victorious power of His Spirit
in
order to overcome our character defects and the many threats to our
faith.

How does coming
confidently before God's throne affect your daily relationship with
Him?

Tuesday
February 15

How is Jesus' priesthood in heaven of a higher order than
Aaron's or that
of the Levitical priests?
Heb.
5:1-10.

Here is a lesson of great consequence for all who still seek
the forgiveness
of sins from earthly priests or give glory to human mediators. The
first
and most fundamental difference between Christ and all others is that
God
the Father has appointed His one and only Son as equal with God as our
Mediator
(7:28).
This divine ordination is claimed as the fulfillment of two Messianic
predictions, in
Psalms
2 and
110
(see
5:5,
6). Look up these psalms and read those major promises about
the Messiah's
work of redemption. No other being in heaven or on earth can share in
this
high honor and work. In Christ alone are deity and humanity united. The
Levitical
priests were faint representations of the sinless, divine Mediator.
Paul
wrote to Timothy that God wants to save "all men" and therefore has
appointed
"one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave
himself
as a ransom for all men"
(1
Tim. 2:5, 6, NIV).

How does Paul deal with the common problem of being
"slow to learn" spiritual
truth?
Heb.
5:11;
6:1.

He stimulates sluggish Christian believers to move forward to
a mature spiritual
understanding, and to "enjoy the full experience of salvation"
(6:9,
J. B. Phillips).

What is the purpose of his severe warning against an
irrevocable apostasy?
Heb.
6:4-6.

This difficult passage can be understood best if read with the
parallel sections
of
10:26-31
and
12:15-17.
where the same elements occur as in
6:4-6.
The "if" in
6:6
indicates that Paul places before the Jewish Christians a possibility
of apostasy rather than an actual situation. He warns them against a
deliberate,
public rejection of Christ. "Here, we find the strongest words of
Christian
assurance coupled with the strongest warnings to Christians. But the
two
go together."—Johnsson, p. 117. The threefold message of
Revelation
14 also contains the same strong words of warning after the
proclamation
of the everlasting gospel.

Wednesday
February 16

What twofold assurance has God provided for us, and how is
Abraham an
example in this respect?
Heb.
6:13-15.

Complete: God made a _________ to Abraham
and then confirmed it by
an ________ . Thus God made His word doubly sure! For
Christians, God's
Word is made even more sure because of its fulfillment of the Messianic
promises
in Jesus. Our hope rests on the reality of Messiah Jesus. "Jesus
anchors
our hopes. His person and His work make our salvation absolutely
sure."—Johnsson, p. 119.

We need to consider the phrase "behind the curtain." or
"within the veil"
(NASB), in the theological context of
chapter
6 and not as a mere item of technical information. The
intended message
is clear: through the risen Son of God we have now full and free access
to
the very presence of God, and through Christ's ministry we now enjoy a
person-to-person relationship with God. Adventist Bible scholars,
therefore,
consider this particular phrase as a metaphor for the heavenly
sanctuary,
from which the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant are dispensed. (See
Issues in the Book of Hebrews, Daniel and Revelation
Committee Series,
vol. 4, F. B. Holbrook, ed. [Biblical Research Institute, 1989]).

Write out
Psalm
110:4 and consider each word. It contains the surprising
announcement
that the Levitical priesthood would be replaced by a more perfect
priesthood.
Paul claims that
Psalm
110 is being fulfilled in the permanent priesthood of Christ
in heaven.

This psalm refers to the ancient priest-king in the time of
Abraham (see
Gen.
14:18-20) in order to announce that a son of the royal house
of David
would one day become a priest-king forever! Melchizedek becomes a
historical
prototype of Christ in his double office of priest and king. In this
respect
he was "like the Son of God"
(Heb.
7:3). Paul's main point is to announce that Jesus is a better
priest, because He became one in "the power of an indestructible life"
(7:16).

"Too often in our times, the fizz has gone out of Christian
living. We wander
about, groping for a light, when the Light has already come. We debate
and
argue, when the Truth already has spoken. We seek to please God, when
He
already has opened the Way."—Johnsson, p. 137.

What does Paul point out as the sum total of the
previous chapters?
Heb.
8:1, 2.

Notice the ring of certainty: "We do have such a high priest"!
This good
news should excite us every day. It is an essential part of the gospel
just
as is the cross of Christ. Our faith must center in a crucified, risen,
and
interceding Lord. Such a comprehensive faith brings assurance of
everlasting
salvation!

How does Paul explain the special benefit of Jesus'
superior ministry?
Heb.
8:6, NIV. What are the "better promises"?
Heb.
8:7-12.

The main benefit of the new covenant lies in providing a
solution to the
sin problem. No longer is there any need for sacrifices for sins (see
8:13;
10:18).
The progression of God's plan of salvation from the old to the new
covenant
is expressed in a change of worship rituals. So we no longer need to
enter
God's temple through the blood of animals, but by the shed blood of
Christ
(9:1,
8, 11-14).

What is the abiding benefit of Christ's shed
blood for you today? (See Heb.
9:14, 22.)

"The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the
first apartment
of the sanctuary. 'within the veil' which formed the door and separated
the
holy place from the outer court, represents the work of ministration
upon
which Christ entered at His ascension. . . . So did Christ plead His
blood
before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before Him also,
with
the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of
penitent
believers."—The Great Controversy,
pp.420, 421.

Another helpful study book by W. G. Johnsson is In
Absolute Confidence:
The Book of Hebrews Speaks to Our Day (Nashville, Tenn.:
Southern Pub.
Assn., 1979). The more in-depth treatment of some basic texts, such as
Hebrews
6:19 and
9:23,
is found in Issues in the Book of Hebrews. referred
to earlier.

The book of Hebrews still speaks today to all believers in
Christ. The religious
profile of the early Jewish Christians and the threats to their faith
resemble
those of believers in our own time. Hebrews, therefore, is an effective
exhortation to us to persevere in the faith we have in Christ.
Meditating
its great themes of salvation, we breathe the atmosphere of heaven and
prepare
for our eternal home.

DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS:

1.

In what way is Jesus more real to you
after studying Hebrews? How has your assurance of salvation been
renewed?

Do you approach the "throne of grace"
with confidence or with fear? What difference does this make in your
personal devotions and your public worship?

4.

What assurance do you receive from the
good news that Christ has entered "behind the curtain" as our
forerunner?

SUMMARY:
The book of Hebrews is an inspired
and authoritative affirmation of Christian faith. It leads us from the
foundation
truths to a deeper understanding of God's plan of complete salvation
through
the work of His Son after His ascension to the heavenly
sanctuary.

A
Searching Heart

Barbara
Huff

Roman Ebragemov comes from Kazakhstan, part of the Euro-Asia Division
and
a former republic of the Soviet Union. He is a member of the Dungan
race,
an ethnic group that dates back to the seventh century, when Arabs
intermarried
with Chinese. The children of these marriages took their father's
religion,
Islam, and their mother's language, a dialect of Chinese. Most Dungans
remain
in China, but five generations ago, Roman's ancestors moved to
Kazakhstan.

Roman grew up in a strong Muslim family.
Members of his family are priests,
and he, too, studied in the Muslim seminary. He has studied the Qu'ran
for
years and knows it well. But in spite of this, he knew no peace. His
spiritual
hunger and inquiring mind drove him to search for answers. He decided
to
compare his religion with Christianity and learn about this God-Man.
Jesus.

He met a Protestant pastor, and for two
years he attended worship services
in both the Christian church and the mosque. During this time he says
he
felt like a spy. He compared the Bible with the Qu'ran. He found a
peace
and comfort from studying the Bible that he had not found in following
the
traditions of Islam.

During this time an Adventist evangelist
announced meetings in town. Roman
read the brochure and decided to attend. Cautiously he studied the
Adventist
doctrines. To his joy, he found that Adventist health teachings were
very
similar to his Muslim beliefs and practices. And he found similarities
in
teachings about end-time events as well.

Roman surrendered his life to Christ and
was baptized. In doing so, he became
the first ethnic Dungan to become a Seventh-day Adventist.

He did not make this decision lightly, for
he knew that such a decision would
mean total separation from his family, who would consider him a traitor
to
his faith.

Roman
changed more than his faith; he changed careers. He had prepared to be
a
cook and was a talented masseur, but he recently completed studies at
Zaoksky.
Theological Seminary in Russia. His one desire now is to share the
gospel
with other Muslims.

Barbara Huff is an administrative
secretary in the Euro-Asia Division
office in Moscow, Russia.

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